What's New in Inspire Form 2022

Inspire Form 2022 has now been released, and includes the following new features and enhancements:

Feasibility

New Extend Tool 

Extend surface edges naturally or linearly to introduce an addendum to a part before feasibility analysis. 

Remove Tool 

The Flange tool has been renamed to the Remove tool. You can either remove or partition a selected surface from the part. 

New Unflange Tool 

Open linear bends as well as flange surfaces on user-defined reference surfaces.  

Trim Angle Analysis 

Analyze the trim angle of the free edges of the part with reference to the draw direction using the Show/Hide Trim Angle context menu. 

Part Edge Analysis 

Analyze part edge movements during forming using the Tracer tool. The initial point of contact of the selected edge is shown along with the final point and a measure of minimum and maximum distance between them on the part surface. 

Tryout

Forming Using Solids

Perform a single or multistage forming simulation with sheet metal modeled as solid elements like shells for a single blank only. The initial blank definition needs to be solid geometry. The materials in the database are updated to be compatible with solids. The workflows for model setup, analysis, and results visualization with shells are the same as for sheets. An FLD (Forming Limit Diagram) based on formability is also available for solid top and bottom surfaces.

Tool Creation By Offset 

Create tools by offsetting with a value smaller than the sheet thickness. An offset value no smaller than a quarter of the sheet thickness is recommended. This is available only for forming shell elements.

Auto Gravity Model Setup 

Quickly add a gravity operation and automatically set up the tools before a forming operation using the Add Gravity option in the operation context menu. This will automatically copy bottom tools and pins from the forming operation to the gravity operation to reduce setup effort.

Trim Operation 

You can now select the surface - Top, Middle, or Bottom - from which the trim/pierce/lance line is extracted to improve trimming robustness. Geometry edges can now be selected for trim/pierce/lance objects.

Trim Angle Analysis 

Analyze the trim angle of the free edges of the part with reference to the draw direction using the Show/Hide Trim Angle in the context menu.

Part Replace 

Replace any tool or blank, except for drawbeads, with a part in the model or from a file. The replaced part is deleted from the session.

Tool Mesh Parameter Option  

New options to select Individual tools or All tools for the tool mesh parameter have been added to the Preferences. This setting determines the mesh parameters for the tool meshing. Individual tools were used in past releases, and this is the default.

Predict 

Select geometry edges for blank shape and trim line prediction.

Springback Compensation

Export springback compensation data (point cloud and deformation vector) in a text file format supported by CATIA and UGNX. This enhancement allows data exchange with CAD software to perform geometry based springback compensation. The springback compensation distance contour sign can now be flipped with a new result type.

Edge Strain 

Contour edge strain can now be applied on free edges of the blank to study potential failure due to edge fracture.

Auto Callouts 

Automatically create callouts based on Max (upper limit) and/or Min (lower limit) value. One callout per iso contour zone is created.

Tracers – Draw-in 

Select a reference step to measure draw-in more accurately. By default, the first step is used as reference, but now it can be changed to any step, preferably to the end of binder close for apt comparison with physical tryout results. The draw-in measure dynamically updates with the animation. 

The full release notes are available at:

https://2022.help.altair.com/2022/form/whatsnew/InspireForm_2022_ReleaseNotes_English.pdf